The Indian team and BCCI drew some heavy criticism after the national team suffered a home Test series 3-0 against New Zealand. It was for the first time ever that after becoming the world champions, the Indian cricket team suffered a clean sweep in a three Test series at home. The three defeats have complicated the path of India not only to the World Test Championship finals, but even to the events occurring before the finals. Numerous past cricketers have criticized inadequate preparations as the main cause of the disappointing performance that India showed. Former BCCI selector and ex-India player Sunil Joshi believes that responsibility does not lie with cricket’s administrative body, rather it is the players who should be held liable.
“The onus and responsibility lies more with the players, than the BCCI or the selection committee,” Joshi told the Times of India.
“There are more players than there are officials; one cannot blame BCCI for everything. There is a level of individual accountability that I want to emphasize. When a series is to be played, for instance three Test matches, and you know they are either going to be on turners or in slow wickets. So white ball cricket, (there is a need to) come back to Ranji Trophy and play (so) that you can be match ready to take on the international red ball cricket). The blame cannot be in every case the BCCI’s, some of it should be the players. Players must lead, and must declare, ‘Boss, I will go and play Ranji Trophy, I will go and play Duleep Trophy’.”
He also said that having a losing home test series is always more difficult than a losing an away test series.
“What’s it like to lose a series? You might think it’s easy, but I am sure the team management also shares the same thoughts. He added, so if we have to win WTC or WTC final or be ranked the number one Test playing country, then we have to play well in India. That is why the core preparation’s focus shifts to the Ranji Trophy primary goal (tournament) phase. Like I said before, the Test players have also played in Ranji Trophy games and then went on to play Test matches. I have done that. Many players have done that,” he said.
